Brisingr

Paolini, Christopher. Brisingr. Book 3 of the Inheritance series. 2008. 763p. ISBN 978-0-375-82672-6. Available at FIC PAO on the library shelves.

In Eldest, Murtagh reappeared as a dragon rider under the control of their enemy, King Galbatorix. Eragon and Saphira now find themselves at the center of events affecting Alagaësia. Having nearly been defeated by Murtagh and Thorn on the battlefield, Eragon knows he is hopelessly outmatched against the magical skills of the king. He will need more training in order to gain enough strength to overthrow Galbatorix. Fortunately, the Varden was able to win the battle in the end, and now Nasuarda and her troops are on the offensive, moving deep in the Empire.

Hoping to save Katrina, Eragon and his cousin Roran set out on Saphira to Hellgrind, the Ra’zac’s lair. Discovering the fell beasts and their parents, the trio triumph and dispatch the monsters, rescuing Roran’s love in the process. Unfortunately, Eragon finds that Sloan, Katrina’s father, is a prisoner of the Ra’zac. Having been rendered blind and tortured, the butcher is in bad shape, but Eragon knows he cannot be both judge and jury on the penalty he should suffer. He lets Roran and Katrina escape on Saphira, while he rescues the old man and sends him on a quest to seek shelter in the land of the elves.

Trekking back on foot, Eragon is reunited with Arya, who departed the Varden to meet up with him when Nasuarda learned what had transpired at Hellgrind. Together they travel back to the Varden. There Nasuarda sends him out to travel to Farthen Dur, the dwarves’ capital, to convince them to elect a king and support the Varden’s efforts. Saphira, meanwhile, stays back and runs patrols in the sky to let the Varden and its supporters believe Eragon is still with them.

Following the election of King Orik and his support to the cause of freedom, Eragon travels back to Ellesméra to meet once again with his teacher, Oromis. There Eragon and Saphira finally discover Galbatorix’ secret of collecting dragon heart of hearts. Filled with the consciousness of a dragon before he or she died, these items are powerful magic and the evil king has been drawing off them to oppress the people of Alagaësia.

With Roran fulfilling several dangerous missions for the Varden, and with Eragon, Saphira, Oromis and Glaedr heading back to the various battlefronts, the fate of an entire continent rests in the efforts of this motley crew.

Eragon tries to uphold the oath he made to save Katrina from King Galbatorix, while being pulled in different directions by the needs of the Varden, elves, and dwarves--all of whom need his help and strength to overcome the tyranny of the king.